Blessed be God/Heroic Act Of Charity
THE HEROIC ACT OF CHARITY
This act consists in offering to the Divine Majesty for the souls in Purgatory all the satisfactions of our works and our indulgences throughout life, as well as all the suffrages that shall be offered for us after death. It is a laudable custom to make this offering through the hands of the Blessed Virgin, that she may apply our satisfactions as she may elect.
The Heroic Act is not a giving over of our merits, nor does it deprive ourselves of the benefit of our prayers; but only a surrender of the remission of temporal punishment due to sin which would otherwise belong to ourselves. On the contrary, those who make this act gain for themselves special merits and the particular blessing of God. It is well to renew it frequently. No special form of words is required, but the following may be used:
O HEAVENLY Father, in union with the merits of Jesus and Mary, I offer Thee, for the poor souls in Purgatory, all the works of satisfaction of my entire life, as well as all the satisfactory works that will be offered for me after my death. These works I surrender into the most pure hands of the immaculate Virgin Mary, that she may apply them to those souls which, according to her wisdom and motherly love, should be first delivered from Purgatory. Graciously accept, O my God, this offering, and may it win for me Thy constant favor.
(A plenary indulgence for the souls in Purgatory may be gained by those who make this act (1) whenever they go to Holy Communion, (2) whenever, for the souls in Purgatory, they assist at Mass on a Monday, or, if this is not possible, on a Sunday. Condition: Visit to a church and prayer therein for the Pope. — Pius X. Feb. 20, 1907.)